tonight, Poulin was quick on rebounds mostly, but he still served a few pizzas...if they're going to bomb from 25', they have to be better at digging out the ball for second looks in close with the goalie in scramble mode.

tonight, Poulin was quick on rebounds mostly, but he still served a few pizzas...if they're going to bomb from 25', they have to be better at digging out the ball for second looks in close with the goalie in scramble mode.

Click to expand...

I'm wondering if they can use Reinholdt and Lintner to pick up trash and Craig to crash the net.

It's a little bit sad when the guy who is maybe your slightest forward, Lintner, seems to get as many looks on the crease as some of the big bodies out there.

Hickey has been a huge disappointment this year. I was hoping he would get re-purposed into the Beirnes role.....big body with decent hands and all that. No one is getting him the ball, and, he doesn't seem to be manufacturing his own chances either.

It's a little bit sad when the guy who is maybe your slightest forward, Lintner, seems to get as many looks on the crease as some of the big bodies out there.

Hickey has been a huge disappointment this year. I was hoping he would get re-purposed into the Beirnes role.....big body with decent hands and all that. No one is getting him the ball, and, he doesn't seem to be manufacturing his own chances either.

Click to expand...

Hickey and Jones are both looking lost of late -- this is more than a single player problem. Without a cohesive strategy, no one can fill a role.

Another option is to take a fast outside shot while a player is on the break, giving them the option of collecting the loosie and passing it to another breaking player -- that way, they move the goalie. Right now, they largely shoot at stationary targets.

There definitely has to be more motion.....it feels like too many of the sets are perimeter passing until there's nothing left to try but a 25 footer late in the shot clock.

I would like to see a few "set" energy/motion plays mixed in a whole lot more frequently.

I dunno, like, having the bigger/more physical guys on either side try to pull their D men behind the goal line extended, then roll and cut back up floor?

I mean, even if the high guy looks one of these guys off and shoots anyway, at least there's someone on the crease with half a step on his D man......grab the rebound and reload, or try to pot the trash?

Or, if you are strong left with two of the tougher youngsters, maybe a few where the shooter position cuts and crashes while the crease man rolls up to shooter? .....and, if there is no pass coming to shooter he follows the first guy cut and maybe takes a pass on the crease???

Maybe even the old-school John Grant/Shawn Williams special - Grant fires wide off the boards, Williams knows this is coming and grabs the rebound with his hands free and a step on the D-man.

Not hugely complicated stuff, but, mixing up the sets with a few of these patterns in depending on which D are on the floor might work wonders.

They did protect the ball a lot better in terms of not taking as many ill-thought hard shots with everyone deep, and either getting back or getting off quickly enough to spring the D.

Click to expand...

You noticed a positive I missed. That is a major improvement. And mixing in some of the sets you mentioned might create the motion they need to score. I hope somebody has Blaine's email. Get in touch ☺